weigh to go: 3 months in

This is the picture that did it for me.  The one that made me realize that I really didn’t like the way I looked.  Christmas morning with my boys and all I could see in this picture was how big my arms and stomach and legs looked.  [My hair’s pretty gross too, but that’s not the point.]  It’s not even that I think I look necessarily huge, I just didn’t realize that this is what I looked like.  At all.

On January 2nd, I started a diet.  A couple weeks later I joined the gym.

Click here for the previous update.

As of a month ago I had lost 12.something pounds.  I posted this on Instagram.

I’m happy to report that 1 month later, as of today, I’ve lost 16.4 pounds.  This is not a dramatic weight loss – just averaging a pound a week, but that is fine.  I find it a little surprising because my lifestyle has changed quite dramatically since I started all this healthier living business.

I started Couch to 5k, are you familiar? I’ve historically never been a runner.  I’ve historically always complained about my crappy knees.  But.  I’ve recently been sooo inspired by Mommy Boots and her success with this program that the urge to try it was overwhelming.  I am currently in the middle of week four.  In case you are not familiar, this program is designed to train a non-runner (definition: ME) to run a 5k in just 9 weeks.  There are 3 sessions per week and each one is just about 30 minutes. Easy enough to commit to that, right? 

To give you a better, but brief rundown, I think Wk 1 starts out alternating 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking.  By Wk 4, I’m up to this:

Warm up walk: 5 min
Jog: 3 min
Walk: 90 sec
Jog: 5 min
Walk: 2 min 30 sec
Repeat (minus the 5 minute warm up)
Cool down walk for 5 min

I have been doing the program outside at least 1x a week and inside on the treadmill 2x a week since I started.  Not intentionally necessarily, but it’s just worked out that way.  Jogging outside is like 54ish times harder than on the treadmill.  I hate it during, but I love it afterwards. 

My knees do hurt initially, but that kind of goes away once I get into my rhythm.  I did day one of week four outside and it was quite a jump from week three so it was rough. REALLY rough. But I completed it.  Did it again tonight on the treadmill and it was easy.  I’ve already told myself that if I am not able to successfully complete a day, I am going to repeat it until I’m successful. So far, I haven’t had to repeat anything.  Which is surprising since that 60 seconds of jogging the first week nearly killed me.  Or so I thought. 

This month’s major milestone:  I fit into my “skinny jeans” that I quickly outgrew about a year ago when I stopped nursing Dexter.  Woo!!  Getting back into them has been a goal since I started on this journey.  I did it and here’s the proof!

Disregard the dorky pose, fake smile, and wet hair.

So despite the fact that the numbers are not changing rapidly on the scale, I feel MUCH better. I desperately need to buy some new clothes.  I notice that I care more about how I look.  I’m wearing make-up.  Getting my eyebrows done again.  Dressing (a little) cuter despite my limited wardrobe (the picture above is not intended to depict that).  Contemplating a new hairstyle.

I’m proud of myself for challenging my brain and my body with this jogging madness, and I have so much more energy than I can remember having in recent years.  I’ve been known to bust out 50 jumping jacks in the bathroom at work. I’m still sticking with My Fitness Pal, logging everything I eat and all of my workouts.  It seems like a lot of work at first, but it really just takes a few seconds here and there and is kind of addictive!  Not to mention sooo motivating.  Come join and be a pal if you haven’t already!

xo,
~C~

the most wonderful time of the year

It happens every year.  Seasons change.  Some years it seems to happen more slowly than others.  This year, there are no green leaves on the trees in our Easter egg hunt photos.  Last year, the trees were full.  This winter has seemed unbearably long. 

But today?  Today it’s going to be 80 degrees.  I celebrate.

I celebrate by taking a walk on my break at work. I celebrate by wearing a knee-length skirt with butterflies on it that I’ve had for (literally) 10 years, bare legs, and flats.  I celebrate by rolling my windows down, turning the radio up, and singing loudly (and badly) on my way to work.  I celebrate by feeling the warmth on the back of my neck while I’m standing outside.  I celebrate by smiling at strangers more.  I celebrate by taking my time, taking deep breaths, and taking the boys for wagon rides. 

Spending evenings at the park.

Grilling out and enjoying a picnic. Going for frozen yogurt at bedtime.  We celebrate. 

Some people like the snow.  Some people say the Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year.  I say right now is.  This is my favorite.  I need to live somewhere that has weather like this year round.  I feel such a sense of promise and anticipation.  Knowing that we have a summer full of fun ahead of us before the weather changes for the worse again. 

I’m happy.  That doesn’t mean life is perfect, but it feels pretty damn close right now.  I’m happy.  My favorite time of year.  Time to celebrate! 

 
xo,
~C~

conversations with the boys: cuteness I don’t wanna forget

THEO:

Mom, where’s that puddle stick Aunt Chelle gave me?
What?  Where is it?  What color is it?
It’s on the counter and it’s blue…
Come show me. Ohh…silly putty?
Yes. Silly putty.
*****

Mom, do we have any u-quips?
Any what?
Those things you put in my ears after the bath.
Q-tips?
Yes. Q-tips.
*****

(the next bath)
Mom, are you gonna put those corn chips in my ears?
Q-tips?
Yes. Q-tips.
*****
Mom, will you read me the constructions?

DEXTER:

Before bed and as soon as he wakes up, Dexter says “I want milk hot.”
*****
When he gets a boo boo, “Chiss it, mommy.”
*****
When he wants to lay with Theo, “I wan sungle with brudder.”
*****
When he wants us to sing to him, “Rock-a-bee-bee, mommy” or “Sing ABCB, mommy.”